Pressure regulators that deliver discrete charges of fluid are employed in a wide variety of industries for a wide variety of purposes—e.g., to activate controls, provide control, fire projectiles, provide feedstock—and uses—e.g., as a diluent, catalyst, carrier, or fuel to processes. The relevant industries share in common a need for a regulator that reliably delivers accurately metered amounts of fluid at a controlled pressure and at scheduled times or on demand. One such industry that requires such discrete charges on demand is the paintball game industry.
The popularity of paintball games has grown immensely, and with that growth there has been a proliferation of different types of paintball guns (hereafter “markers”) and the devices that are used in conjunction with these markers, such as regulators and compressed gas canisters. Improvements in markers and related devices have become necessary due to the increased level of play as players improve and hone their skills. Improvements in paintball equipment encourages improvements in the players abilities and skills, which in turn requires further improvements in the equipment. The early types of markers and related devices provided an adequate level of play. However, the onset of more experienced players, along with challenging paintball gun tournaments, now provides an arena where better markers and peripherals are required to sufficiently compete.
Safety is a serious concern with any system where pressurized gas is confined or handled in the equipment. Canisters typically confine gas under several thousand pounds of pressure. Regulators that are in gas receiving communication with such canisters are sometimes exposed to the pressure that is in the canister. Regulators generally function to regulate the pressure that associated applications are exposed to. Often such associated applications are not capable of withstanding the gas pressure that is in the canisters. Unexpected spikes in gas pressure are sometimes encountered by such canisters and associated regulators. Regulators must be designed to reliably prevent excessive gas pressure from reaching the associated applications. Regulators are typically designed with sufficient strength to confine and regulate pressurized gas with a safety factor of at least twice the maximum anticipated pressure. This safety requirement dictates that the regulator be constructed with sufficient mass to provide the required strength. This can make a regulator heavier and larger than desired in many systems.
In general, a marker is used to fire or shoot a paintball at an intended target. A discrete charge (as opposed to continuous flow) of compressed gas is delivered from a canister through a regulator to a paintball marker to propel a paintball towards the intended target. The marker or paintball gun is attached directly or indirectly through a suitable conduit to a regulator, which is in turn attached to the source of compressed gas, such as a canister. The regulator meters the volume and controls the pressure of the gas charge that is delivered to the marker.
The overall marker-regulator-canister system in a paintball gun application is sometimes awkward and heavy to handle, especially for smaller game participants. Even a small reduction in size and/or weight is significant in increasing the usability and enjoyment of using the system. Also, any increase in the number of shots that may be reliably obtained from a given system without recharging the canister significantly improves the play of the user.
Many paintball guns operate on compressed gas such as air, nitrogen, other suitable gases or mixtures of gases. The players typically carry a supply of compressed gas with them as they compete. This supply is depleted after a certain number of cycles. Typically, the players have no means of replenishing this supply of compressed gas without returning to some central station removed from the playing field. Compact lightweight systems that extend the number of cycles that are available from one canister full of gas are much sought after by players.
Any regulator in a marker-regulator-canister system that safely provides a reduced size and weight advantage and extends the period of play or other use while remaining reliable and consistent would be uniquely advantageous. As such, there is a great need in the field of paintball systems and other systems for such regulators.
Further, while many experienced and top-level players own and maintain high-end markers, facilities exist which appeal to all levels of players, including the novice. Accordingly, such facilities often rent equipment, including markers and marker assemblies, to players who do not have or do not want to use their own equipment. This equipment (like most rental equipment) is subjected to an inordinate amount of wear without the requisite cleaning and care to operate effectively. The rental market possess a unique market opportunity in the industry.
Regulators for regulating pressurized gas that is delivered from a canister to a paintball gun or a marker are illustrated in Colby U.S. Pat. No. Des. 357,967, Colby U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,475, Colby U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,722, Carroll U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,447, Carroll U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,964, Gabrel U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,192, Gabrel U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,640, Gabrel U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,391, and Gabrel U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,046, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a regulator for compressed gas that is safe, light-weight, compact, and reliable. There is a need for the combination of these features in one regulator.